A CAMPAIGNER who has spent the last two years trying to get safety improvements at a Skipton road junction following the death of a 20 year old motorcyclist says she has little faith in work ever taking place.

Susie Storah, who lives in Embsay, set up a petition in October, 2017, in response to the tragic death of 20 year old Edward Brier, of Earby, who was on his motorbike travelling from Harrogate towards Skipton when he was in collision with a vehicle at the A65/A59 junction with the A6131.

A combined online petition at Change.org and written petition rapidly reached 6,000 names and was presented by Mrs Storah to county councillors at a Craven Area Committee of North Yorkshire County Council in Skipton later the same year.

Those who signed the petition came from all over the world, while support for improvements at the junction came from both Skipton county councillors and district councillors.

Now, almost two years later, Mrs Storah says the petition stands at 6,200 signatures, while the web page devoted to the campaign sees regular postings of ‘near misses’ at the junction.

North Yorkshire County Council says it is well aware of safety issues at the junction, and plans to consult on proposed changes to the road layout later this year, but Mrs Storah says she has little faith in the work ever taking place.

She said: “The petition page is the focus for regular public discussion, debate, and postings of near misses and video footage. The last ‘nasty’ reported accident was on the June 28.

“It is now nearly two years since it began and still the county council are dragging their feet.”

Mrs Storah, who has written to Skipton MP Julian Smith and has frequently contacted the county council in an attempt to get things moving, said: “The public want changes. The public want this junction made safe.The call is for a roundabout or clear give way signage or speed restrictions imposed.”

And she added new housing developments in the area either under construction, or approved and awaiting work to begin which will potentially add to traffic using the junction were a major cause for concern.

“The ‘Pig Field’, Laurel Croft area of Embsay village and the large development on Embsay football pitch will only escalate the problem as the junction will be used much more frequently. Many locals who live within the vicinity take large detours purely to avoid the junction,” she said.

And, she added: “Myself and my fellow petitioners have little faith in the county council taking any positive or necessary steps because all they have done over the course of the past two years is to promise to look into the matter and then singularly fail to do so.

“I personally feel that another fatality at this junction is very likely unless something is done.”

Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire County Council’s Assistant Director, Highways and Transportation, said: “The county council is aware of the petition regarding this location and its collision history.

“We are looking to improve safety at the junction and, having assessed various options, we will be consulting on proposals in the autumn that seek to reduce the risk of collisions occurring.”